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Synonyms: |
Canthium frangula S. Moore |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | |
Description: |
Multi-stemmed shrub or small tree up to c. 5 m tall. Branches lenticilate, armed with opposite spines up to 2 cm long. Leaves clustered on dwarf spur-branchlets just below the spines, more or less narrowly elliptic, 2.4-6 cm long, usually hairless and green above, much paler and sometimes sparsely pubescent on the veins beneath (see note); hairtuft domatia present; petiole 1-1.6 mm long. Stipules triangular, 1-4 mm long, pubescent on the inside. Flowers in 2-8-flowered clusters, small, whitish or creamy-green. Fruit square in outline, 9-12 mm long, pale red, edible. |
Type location: |
Mozambique |
Notes: | within subsp. frangula 2 varieties are recognized. Var. frangula is more widespread is mostly hairless while var. pubescens Bridson is very much restricted to jesse bush and mopane woodland of the Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe and Zambia. It is distinguished by the leaves being densely pubescent on both surfaces and also pubescent calyx and corolla. |
Derivation of specific name: | glaucum: bluish-green, glaucous |
Habitat: | In mopane or Brachystegia woodland riverine thickets, jesse bush, both on Kalahari sand and clay soils, often on termite mounds and sometimes on rocky outcrops. |
Altitude range: | 370 - 1380 m |
Flowering time: | Nov - Jan |
Worldwide distribution: | Botswana, Caprivi-Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe (see note). |
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): | B,C,S |
Zambian distribution (Provinces): | C,S,W |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Bridson, D.M. (1998). Rubiaceae, Part 2 Flora Zambesiaca 5(2) Pages 317 - 319. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 1088 - 1089. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 71. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 87. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 260 - 261. (Includes a picture). |
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